John Hazlitt was the elder brother of the much better known writer and painter William Hazlitt. He exhibited portraits at the Royal Academy from 1788 to 1819. Mary Robinson was an actress and author, and was the first mistress of the Prince of Wales, later George IV. She was often known as 'Perdita' after her role in 'The Winter's Tale' when she first attracted the attention of the Prince of Wales. The 2nd Marquess of Hertford and his wife were loyal friends of Mrs Robsinson, They acquired portraits of her by Romney, Reynolds and Gainsborough - the last being P42 in the Wallace Collection. A further portrait by Reynolds (P45) was acquired by the 4th Marquess much later, in 1859. All these are now in the Wallace Collection with the exception of the first by Reynolds, the model for this miniature, which is at Waddesdon Manor, Buckinghamshire (National Trust). Painted in 1782, it was bought by the 2nd Marquess of Hertford at auction in 1796, and sold by the 6th Marquess in 1894 or later. Although John Hazlitt is little known now, he was an able artist. Here he has deftly captured Reynolds's manner, even on this much reduced scale, and has defined Perdita's powdered hair, her lace and feathers with great delicacy.